Contact Finish Series
Finishing
Legend
- player
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Develop the ability to absorb contact and still complete a controlled layup finish at full speed.
What you need
- basketball
- hoop
- partner
- padding
Your focus
Finishing through contact is the difference between a great scorer and a good one. Players who get hit and lose composure, adjust form, or give up convert at a fraction of the rate of players who absorb contact and still release the ball cleanly. This is the number-one finishing skill for competitive play.
Player attacks the basket. Partner applies controlled contact to the shooting arm or body at the moment of release.
Player must complete the layup despite the contact, maintaining body control and releasing correctly.
Progress from light contact to heavy contact across 3 sets of 10 reps.
Grade on: did the player complete the finish? Did they maintain form? Did they draw the foul (if that were the rule)?
Goal
You're there when you absorb the contact and still release the shot on rhythm, the contact happened, but your mechanics absorbed it and finished anyway.
Helpful cues
- Finish through the contact, don't flinch away from it
- Get your body between the ball and the defender
- Attack the basket like you mean it, half-speed finishes never convert
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Contact is applied after the jump, no mid-air contact.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Contact begins during the gather, player must protect the ball and still finish.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.